Light reflecting type



Oct. 25, 1932. w. GRASS LIGHT REFLECTING TYPE Original Filed June 13, 1927 ":JVENTOR ,4. ATTQRMY drigginal application filed January 18, rear, Serial No. 1.60;349. Divided and this application filed July 15,

The present invention relates to a light reflecting type and has more particular reference to type units which are set up and photographed as an incident to the production of a negative for intaglio printin This is division of my application erial No.

3160,9 19, filed in the United States latent @fiice January 13, 1927 on method and apparatus for preparing lithographic printing plates, upon which application Patent No.

1,821,466 was granted on September 1, 1931.

The type unit of the present invention is adapted to be set up in proper alignment to form, preferably, a line of type, all of the as. type units being illuminated so as to provide sharp contrast between the type characters on the type unit and the surrounding background. Such a line of type characters is then photographicaily reproduced on a sen- W sitized ne 'ative by means of a suitable camera, light being passed into and transmitted from the type units and projected into the lens of the camera with a greatly increased brillianoy and sharpness. The principal object of the present invention is the provision of an illuminated type unit in which the outline of the character imposed upon a surface of the type is sharply illuminated for photographic purposes.

A further important object of the invention is the provision of a type of this character formed as a. transparent or translucent triangular prism which is permanently mounted on a yieldable stem so as to be readily movable into proper position for justify ing to produce a line of printed matter.

Numerous other objects of the invention will be apparent as it is better understood from the following description, which, taken in connection with the accompanying drawirg discloses a preferred embodiment there- 0 Referring to the drawing:-

Figure 1 is a perspective view, partly broken away, of a light reflecting type element embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a part elevation, part sectional view of the type element, a source and beam of light being diagrammatically indicated to 9 show its passage through the type body; and

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially along the line 3-3 in 2. Each type element embodying the present invention is adapted for aligned association with other units so as to present a line or other aggregation of characters to the lens of the camera. For this purpose each type element is yieldingly mounted, as illustrated in the drawings. For details of an apparatus in which the different uses of such type elements are fully disclosed, reference should be had to my patent, previously referred to.

A preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a triangular rism 11 (Figs. 1 and 2) which may be OI glass or other transparent or translucent material on an outer face 12 of which there is set up the desired character, indicated by the numeral 13. This character 13 is outlined by an opaque background imposed on the surface 12 which leaves the character in the glass or other material of which the prism is made.

This triangular prism or type element 11 is preferably mounted upon a type carrier. The

type carrier comprises a head 14 on which the type element is glued or otherwise secured, the head being preferably carried on the for- Ward end of a flexible carrier body 15 formed of fiat spring stock. When used in an apparatus of the type disclosed in my patent, previously referred to, this carrier body is slotted at 16.

The flexible part 15 and the general construction of the type carrier permits lateral and yielding movement of the head 14 and the prism 11 carried'thereby for the purpose of correctly positioning each individual typo in alignment relative to an adjacent type of like character, this operation properly justifying and aligning the type for the subsequent photographic operation.

As indicated in Fig. 2 the type prism 11 is adapted for illumination from a source of light. For this purpose the type prism is positioned directly beneath an illumination element 21 which is any suitable source of electric light sufliciently powerful to obtain the results desired. The light rays, indicated by the dotted lines 22, pass from the lamp 21 and strike a top surface 23 of the prism 11.

centrate' this. light the side walls and the bottom wall of the prism are covered with an opaque coating 25 (Figs. 1 and 3). I have found that a prism formed according to the drawing reflects practically all of the light striking it and, therefore, transmits the characters formed by the transparency in the opaque face of the prism with great brilliancy.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing any of its material advantages, the form hereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

I claim:

1. A type for photographic printing, in the form of a transparent triangular prism, having the outline of the letter set off on one of its sides b opaque substance. I

2. A type or photographic printing, in th form of a transparent triangular prism, having the outline of the letter set off on one of its sides by opaque substance, and having its opposite parallel sides opaque.

3. A type for photographic printing, in the form of a transparent triangular prism, havmg the outline of the letter set off on one of its sides by opaque substance, and mounted on a stem which is yieldable laterally for ustifying.

4. A type for photographic rinting, in the form of a transparent triangular prism, having the outline of the letterset off on one of its sides by opaque substance, said type being permanently mounted and movable laterally.

5. Type for printing on a sensitized surface by the use of light and a camera, said type being transparent and having a lettered face which is opaque excepting the outline of'the letter, and having a second face at an angle to the lettered face and through which the light may enter the type, and having a third face by which the entering light is reflected to the inner part of the lettered face and thence through the letter outline to the camera.

6. Type for printing on a sensitized surcamera, said type having other opaque faces between which the light passes to said lettered face.

WILLIAM GRASS.

e lettered face and throu h which 

